Three years after dropping his third tape Zulu Man With Some Power, his first under Def Jam, Nsikayesizwe David Junior ‘Nasty C‘ Ngcobo has returned with his fourth titled I Love It Here. The 58-minute-long offering features acclaimed musicians such as vocalists Ami Faku and Tellaman, as well as rappers Benny the Butcher, Maglera Doe Boy and 25K.
By far Nasty’s most eclectic project, it comes arrayed in a multi-coloured coat of various musical influences. Throughout the nineteen songs, the rap record flaunts its range, bearing its DNA coded with progressive R&B, neo-soul, dancehall, and jazz.
The most distinct quality of the album is that it sounds more like a Ngcobo album rather than a Nasty one because of its personal touch, and it is, by a comfortable margin, the 031 rapper’s most vulnerable album. In the project, he covers themes of his mother’s death (‘She’s Gone & The End‘), the importance and impact of love as an energy source (‘Endless‘), the arduous journey before and after fame (‘Prosper In Peace’ and ‘No More’), and the beginning of a new life (‘Dear Oliver’).
The thematic scope of the album encompasses the gradations of more colours; however, David is skillful enough with his words and creative direction to keep everything tight and neatly packed while permitting minimal digression.
Watch ‘Endless’ Here:
The symmetrical body of the album creates a dome that not only contains the music but also allows it to interplay with itself and the listener to form an experience. His first three albums Bad Hair (2016), Strings and Bling (2018), and Zulu Man With Some Power (2020) all had lyrical gems.
His debut saw him ride on the wave of being the Coolest Kid in Africa with ‘Hell Naw’. Rowlene-assisted ‘SMA’ from his sophomore album lifted his artistry to global heights. ‘Black & White’ with Dreamville songbird Ari Lennox saw Nasty say hello to the world. However, all three albums came off unfocused. With his fourth, there’s surefootedness in his delivery, vulnerability in his songwriting, and a sense of peace that flows with the ease of a fountain that makes I Love It Here an experiential undertaking rather than a collection of cool-sounding songs good enough for Spotify streams but not compelling enough to think about or come back to years later.
As a testament to David’s growing creativity, what gives the album’s two strongest songs their strength are their placements on the track-list. ‘She’s Gone & The End‘ and the heartwarming letter to his baby ‘Dear Oliver‘ see the juxtaposition of death and life in one album. Placing them on the opposite ends of the album creates clear bookmarks of the life journey of David from being a boy who grew up without a parent to being blessed enough to live to the day of being one himself. The rest of the album in between plays out as a tapestry.
I Love It Here is Nasty C’s most experimental album, and it is by far his most comfortable. The facile performances and exuberance peppered throughout the LP stay faithful to the title of the album, because it Although the album has formidable co-stars, the ‘Juice Back‘ hitmaker remains the star of his show, captivating with his dynamic performances, cadence switches, and the ease with which he moves further and further away from his comfort zone with every minute of the project. Interestingly, it’s the songs he goes alone for that showcase the climax of his creative powers.
Whether he’s channeling his inner dancehall intelligence (‘Endless‘) or gleaning inspiration from the split-minded genius of Kendrick musicianship (‘Broken Marriages‘), Nasty is careful enough to explore new territories without losing his grip on what truly works for him.
I Love It Here is Nasty C’s most experimental album, and it is by far his most comfortable. The facile performances and exuberance peppered throughout the LP stay faithful to the title of the album, because it would be impossible to listen to the project and not imagine the man recording a single song without a smile on his face. For the first time, Nasty gives the impression that he is not just in love with his music but with his life as well, and the music shows this.
Listen to the album here:
